DeMeco Ryans has had a nice run during his first couple seasons as head coach of the Houston Texans. His regular season record is 20-14, and in each season he was won a blowout playoff game in the first round. In fact, Ryans and C.J. Stroud are one of just three head coach-quarterback combos to win a playoff game in each of their first two seasons together.
However, when forecasting the 2025 season for the Houston Texans, many of the prognosticators out there have a hard time putting Ryans' Texans in the Super Bowl conversation, and the reason why is simple — his teams have not shown the ability to get past the Baltimore Ravens or the Kansas City Chiefs. The Texans are 0-5, including the playoffs, under Ryans, against those two teams combined.
The Texans will see them both again this season, and for many seasons to come. Someday, perhaps soon, Ryans will engineer a win over one or both of those teams. For now, here are the eight best wins, out of the 22 total wins, of the Ryans Era in Houston:
**8. at Jacksonville, 37-17, Week 3, 2023 (BOX SCORE)**This was DeMeco Ryans' first win as head coach of the Texans. After an 0-2 start, and a bad loss at home to the Colts in Week 2, Texans fans were getting a little antsy. Fortunately, the Texans climbed on the Jags early with a deep shot to Tank Dell setting up the first score, and ended it with a dagger shot, long touchdown to Dell. I miss Tank Dell.
**7. at Indianapolis, 23-19, Week 18, 2023 (BOX SCORE)**Those same Colts mentioned above, who beat the Texans 31-20 in Week 2, were the final obstacle to a postseason berth in Ryans' inaugural season. Again, it was an early deep shot that set the tone, as Stroud hit Nico Collins for a 75 yard touchdown on the first play of the game. Ultimately, the Texans needed a defensive stop in the fourth quarter, and a fourth down drop by Colts RB Tyler Goodson sealed the deal.
**6. at Tennessee, 19-16, Week 15, 2023 (BOX SCORE)**This was the first game after Stroud suffered a concussion in New Jersey against the Jets. The Texans, in a mild surprise, started Case Keenum over Davis Mills, and the tactic worked. A walk off field goal by Ka'imi Fairborn, on a day where the Titans chose to wear Oiler uniforms, got the Texans the win and kept their playoff hopes alive.
**5. vs Tampa Bay, 39-37, Week 9, 2023 (BOX SCORE)**From an excitement standpoint, this might have been the game of the year in 2023. This was really Stroud's coming out party, as he threw for a rookie record 470 yards and five touchdowns, the last of which was a dart to Tank Dell with six seconds to go to steal the win. Have I mentioned that I miss Tank Dell?
**4. at Cincinnati, 30-27, Week 10 2023 (BOX SCORE)**This game was the week after the win over Tampa Bay, which is why I rank it a little higher than that Buccaneer win. After an emotional comeback over the Bucs, the Texans went on the road to face a Bengals team with a healthy Joe Burrow (that is a key point!), and came away with a last second win, in a game that was actually more lopsided toward the Texans than the final score would indicate.
**3. vs Buffalo, 23-20, Week 5 2024 (BOX SCORE)**Yet another game featuring a last second field goal by Ka'imi Fairbairn, this one a 59 yarder, this game game is probably best known for the Texans' defense forcing eventual 2024 league MVP, Josh Allen, into the worst performance of his career. Allen completed just 9 of 30 pass attempts, and this would become a trend, where Ryans' defense AT HOME would force multiple quarterbacks into their worst performances of the season. Such as....
2. vs Los Angeles Chargers, 32-12, 2024 Playoffs (BOX SCORE)...Justin Herbert! Herbert, in Jim Harbaugh's conservative offense that protects turnover-prone quarterbacks, had a stellar 2024 season, throwing just three picks all season. Well, in this particular game, Herbert threw FOUR picks, more than he'd thrown all season. Derek Stingley had two of the picks, but the big one was a pick six from safety Eric Murray that blew the game open in the second half.
1. vs Cleveland, 45-14, 2023 Playoffs (BOX SCORE)
On the same field, just three weeks prior, the Texans were run off the field by this very same Browns team. Joe Flacco threw for a billion yards, Amari Cooper had half a billion yards receiving, and it was ugly. Of course, that was the second game that Stroud missed with a concussion. Fortunately, the rookie phenom was back for the playoffs, and had one ofthe best rookie playoff performances in league history. Flacco turned into a pumpkin, throwing two picks sixes in the second half, and Ryans secured his first playoff win as a head coach.
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